The Story of Kelaa (Slogan: Maldives – Untouched)
Kelaa, located in the northernmost atoll of Maldives is one of its least explored and one of its most beautiful islands. It is also one of its largest islands with land area of 3.2 sq km2 of which more than 1/3rd is pure vegetation which includes Maldivian jungle and agricultural fields. A long and expansive beautiful beach (which helped the islan
d win the “Leading beach island - award” at the MATATO travel awards 2017, a beautiful mangrove home to preying mantis’ and other diverse flora and fauna, where you can also indulge in mud baths, dense vegetation and agricultural lands, pristine dive and snorkeling sites nearby, a manta ray cleaning station within the lagoon, abundance of lemon sharks, an empowered youth community running an NGO called IDEAS, to remnants of the British RAF’s presence, etc. - it has a charm and identity of its own. “Kelaa” means sandalwood in Dhivehi which is abundantly found in neighboring countries such as India and Sri Lanka. Of course there are no sandalwood trees in Kelaa. Etymologically it is an unusual name for a Maldivian island. There are two main stories behind the naming of this island. One version is quite interesting but tragic in nature. It is said that in ancient times there was a lone sandalwood tree on the island. One of its leaves fell and flew across a channel and onto the deck of a foreign vessel cruising by. The crew of the ship captivated by the unusually strong scent it gave off docked the vessel to the nearest island in sight, which was Kelaa. The crew cut down the tree and took it with them in its entirety
source: Co-founders of IDEAS (NGO) of Kelaa (https://ideaskelaa.wordpress.com)
The second version refers to the word “Kelaa” being defined as a gateway or an entrance. most south-bound boats in the Indian ocean would’ve found their way to Maldives through the main channel of Kelaa. It’s always been a place for weary travellers, though in the olden days the vulnerable community used to hide in the woods at the sight of a docking ship. Still, Kelaa learned to open itself up, and now has an easy smile to offer visitors. The Story of Tropical Sands
The newest addition to Kelaa’s local tourism sector, Tropical Sands (boutique hotel) opened in November of 2017. So, how would one describe this little gem? A cozy enclave designed with a fusion of traditional and contemporary architecture, luxurious wood infused interiors and gleaming white walls complementing the ground filled with white sand. It is the perfect luxurious getaway in part of Maldives that is untouched and yet to be discovered by the mainstream travel industry. Consisting of 8 rooms, an outdoor restaurant and a loungesurrounded by lush vegetation and a mere 1 minute walk to the beach, it is right next door to two of the islands biggest charms, the jungle and the beach. The restaurant serves scrumptious contemporary as well as local delicacies, but more importantly the ambience is something that truly makes the dining experience bliss. Snorkeling, watersports, excursions, sandbank visits, fishing and scuba diving can also be arranged by the hotel to satisfy the more adventurous side in you or you can simply choose to relax your holiday away lounging in the local island with the most beautiful beach in Maldives, according not just to us but the voters of MATATO travel awards 2017.
